Journey to the Dark
by NezumeOneesan
Summary: A young Ben Solo keeps hearing voices in his head.He is sent to be trained as a jedi to control it but overtime the darkness overcomes him and he becomes the man his parents never wanted him to be. Backstory for Kylo Ren.
1. 1 Voice

**Chapter 1: Voice**

The creek sparkled in the setting sun that day in Theed. The water maintained a steady flow as the minnow followed the ease of the current. A young black haired boy sat down on a huddle of rocks along the creeks' edge. He wore blue overalls and a red shirt beneath. His dark hair was neatly combed and trimmed short as his mother had taken the time to do. The boy was 5 years old. He was barefoot and wriggled his toes, tapping his feet at the edge of the water. In one hand, he held a toy X-Wing Starfighter complete with a tiny R2 unit on top and rebel pilot safely glued inside the cockpit. In his other hand, he held a toy Tie Fighter although the screen where the pilot would sit was blacked out. He didn't mind. The boy made shooting noises from his lips and crashed the two planes ships together.

The ships were on an all-out war on the planet Naboo. He lifted the X-Wing in the air as high as he could, but wait, the Tie Fighter could see the other ship coming. He lifted the tie Fighter and it soared the other direction in order to avoid being hit by the X-Wing. "Pew pew!" the boy called out mimicking the X-Wing firing shots. He swung the Tie Fighter around, the ship having narrowly avoided bullets. His foot splashed the water, his entire body swinging to control the ship. The Tie Fighter spun around after being changed the X-Wing. The Tie Fighter fired back! "Pew!" he yelled and he let go of the X-Wing as it was shot down by the Tie Fighter.

The boy didn't realize he had gotten closer to the creek. The X-wing dropped into the stream of water and was swept up into the current. His expression dropped and panic set in.

The black haired boy watched as his precious Rebel ship drifted down the creek and out of sight. He stood up on the pile of rocks and raised his head hoping to catch a glimpse of the ship. He let go of the Tie Fighter and tried to run along the water's edge. There were fish in the water, but none that resembled a ship. The boy kept running and running until exhaustion began to set in. He stopped and slowed his breathing down. Perhaps if he could only focus.

The boy closed his eyes and relaxed. He felt the muddy ground beneath his toes, heard the water splash the edges of the creek. He could sense the small fish swimming with the current. It was all nature surrounding him. All but one item which was caught between two rocks blocking the current. He opened his eyes and followed his senses to where the current had stopped. Finally, he approached the location and found his precious X-Wing lodged between two rocks in the creek. The ship was located too far into the Creek. He could either try swimming and risk getting swept up in the current, or leave the ship and ask his parents for help. Or there was a third option.

He had seen his uncle do it before, raise an object off of the ground by lifting his hand up. "You can do it too," his Uncle had said. "You only need to feel the power of the force flow through you and focus on what you want."

 _Focus_. The boy closed his eyes. He imagined the ship rising from between the rocks. He clenched his fist and tightened his jaw. 'Lift' he said to himself. 'Lift!' His eyes shot open and he raised his small hand. The X-Wing shook. He held his focus. There was only him and the toy ship. Very slowly, the X-Wing rose up a few inches. 'Pull' he said to himself. He clenched his fist harder. _Concentrate_ , _focus_. The X-Wing floated only an inch above the water and moved towards him. The boy began to sweat. The X-Wing was getting closer. He could feel the force tugging the X-Wing. This must be what his uncle meant.

The Force.

" _You have great potential_." An earie voice said.

The boy lost focus and the X-Wing dropped onto a muddy part of the creek just close enough to reach without being swept away by the current. He turned his body and looked all around him. He was the only one in the area. Could he be imagining things? That was it. There was no one around him, it had to be his imagination. He scooped up the X-Wing from the mud and dipped the ship into the water washing it off.

He smiled excitedly. He couldn't wait to tell his mother and father. He was just like his uncle. The boy almost forgot about the Tie Fighter. He took his time reaching the other toy. Home wasn't that far away. He recalled the two ships had gone into hyperspace and somehow he ended up by the creek. Reaching the Tie Fighter, he picked it up and the two ships soared retreating back to their home planets.

He walked for a few minutes until he reached the familiar stone archway of home. The courtyard was laid with brick and brownish stone with a water fountain in the center and there were trees sectioned off by little fences. The sun had almost set completely. Waiting at the doorway was his favorite droid.

"Master Ben, where have you been?" The gold protocol droid asked. Ben smiled at him.

"Where is mother?" he asked C-3PO.

"They're inside, but do wipe your feet before entering. You left so quickly you forgot your shoes." C-3PO scolded. Ben looked down. His feet were flaked with dried mud and bits of grass. Ben sat down in front of the droid and tried to wipe as much mud off his feet as his could.

"Thank you." He said and walked inside his home followed by the droid.

Ben felt excited as he was when the X-Wing rose. He imagined his mothers' warm arms hugging him tightly with pride, and his father would likely pat him on the head and applaud him. He couldn't wait. Ben walked quickly down the halls still holding his ships. C-3PO followed behind keeping the same pace as he was. Ben was ready. He turned the corner when he heard them from behind closed doors.

Han and Leia were in their bedroom standing up and glaring at each other. Han wore a dusty brown jacket over a beige t-shirt. Leia had been at the senate all morning so her hair was still pinned up neatly and she wore a dark grey gown.

"You're just a stuck up, half-witted scruffy-looking nerf herder!" Leia yelled with clenched fists. "You just got back home, where are you going this time? You don't care about this family!"

Han waved his hands up in the air. "Oh yeah? Well at least I go places. I'm not always stuck in some lame meeting!"

"Han you know how important this is to me, the senate does not believe me when I say that the First Order is a potential threat to society." Leia urged.

"Then why don't you just start your own group Princess?"

"It's not that simple, I need resources, troops, gather more allies."

"Well what are you waiting for then? Meanwhile, the galaxy is so big and Chewie and I left with unfinished business to take care of."

"You always have unfinished business! What about us! What about our son!"

Thick fuzzy hands covered Ben's ears. A tear rolled down his cheek. He hated it when his parents argued because in the end, he would be the one all alone. They seemed to argue more and more nowadays as if some sort of unknown war was approaching.

" _Ben, go to your room_." Chewbacca growled in Wookie. Ben looked up at his Uncle Chewie. The hairy brown beast had a reassuring expression on his face. Ben placed his hands over the Wookie's and closed his eyes. For a moment, he thought 'everything is going to be okay'. However, the shouting only got louder and Chewie's hands could not completely suppress the noise.

"He's strong in the force Han. Luke feels it, I feel it. It's in him and everything around him."

"Well I'm sorry, but I'm not a freak like you, Ben, Luke, and your father!"

Han didn't mean for his sentence to come out that way, but it did. Leia stood there speechless. Han didn't know what to do. He opened the door and walked out.

Han saw Chewbacca, Ben and C-3PO standing in the hallway. "Come on Chewie, let's go." He said not making eye contact with his son. Chewbacca let go of Ben's ears. Ben reached for Han's hand and grabbed it tightly. Han turned around and faced his son

"Father, is it true?" Ben said shaking trying to hold in his tears.

" _Of Course it's true_ " a voice replied to Ben, but it wasn't his fathers. Ben immediately let go of Han's hand and his eyes widened.

" _You are different. You have much more potential._ " It said ghoulishly. Ben didn't know who was talking to him, where it was coming from, if anyone else could hear it too. Ben looked around at each face around him. They were slowly fading from his vision

" _Show him. Show him what you can do._ " Ben slammed his small hands over his ears and dropped to his knees. With as much energy as he could, he closed his eyes and screamed.

Leia, Han, and Chewie rushed over to Ben. The last thing he could remember was their warm embrace before plummeting into the darkness.

A/N: Thus ends chapter 1. It was a little short, but there is much more to come. Please review and let me know what you think!


	2. 2 Smuggler

A/N: I incorporated some of Ben's childhood before he reaches the Jedi Academy. Enjoy!

 **Chapter 2: Smuggler**

After what felt like hours in the darkness, Ben was able to open his eyes. He could feel a cold rag on his forehead and he laying down on a cushioned bed, his head propped up with a pillow. He wriggled his toes which now had socks on them. His hands were laid down on his sides. Ben blinked slowly, trying to process the events that occurred earlier. He wondered how long he was sleeping for. Ben wanted to sit up. He tried to pull his body up from the bed but found he did not have the energy to do so. He turned his head on the pillow and noticed someone sitting at the edge of his bed hunched over with hands holding their face.

"Ben, I'm so sorry." Han said. "I must be a terrible father." He kept his hands over his face.

"Your mother and I," he began, "We just don't agree on everything. I just wanted you to be normal, that's all. The last thing I want is for kids to make fun of you at school, or pick on you because you're different." Han lifted his hands away from his face and turned to look at his son with a hurt expression.

Ben looked at him and tried to mouth words, but no sound would come out. His eyelids were half shut as he tried to stay awake. Han reached over to Ben and ran his hand though his son's short black hair.

"I wasn't born with the force son. I can't imagine what kind of life you'll lead or who you'll be." Han looked at his son lovingly.

"Just know son, that your mother and I love you very much. So does your Uncle Chewie. And I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't know you had been standing there the whole time and I probably shouldn't have said that anyway." Han said regrettably. He planted a kiss on Ben's head making sure not to move the rag.

Ben closed his eyes again. He could hear his father stand up and walk out of the room telling C-3P0 to look after him. Ben slept peacefully that night.

* * *

3 years later.

Ben was close to 9 years old. He wanted to grow his hair out like his father, but his dark black hair was still trimmed short and combed neatly over his head as his mother would make him do. He wore a black t-shirt with a red rebel alliance logo on it and black pants with black boots.

It was early morning on Naboo and Ben was outside his home walking to his usual spot. Leia was still on the planet Hosnian Prime and had been for the past week. This time she had taken C-3P0 with her to assist with negotiations. Ben hadn't seen Han or Chewbacca in three months. His parents were both rarely home at the same time. Sometimes Ben felt like they had forgotten all about him.

His mother wouldn't let him go with her to meetings as she felt the senate might target him and do terrible things. His father wouldn't take him either due to the long periods of time that he would be away. Ben kicked a rock with his boot. It's not like they ever asked what he wanted to do.

Ben continued walking and eventually reached the creek. Far down the stream was a gathering of rocks that he loved in his younger days. His parents never saw his favorite spot. They were too consumed with their own lives for Ben to show it to them. He picked up a stone and threw it into the creek. It made a splash and sunk to the bottom of the water. Ben was sure they wouldn't remember his birthday coming up either. He bent down and grabbed a heavier stone with both hands and chucked it into the creek. Ben grit his teeth. It was like a game to them and he was just an extra piece in their elaborate lives.

Ben relaxed his jaw. He could feel the energy within him, flowing through his very being. The Force. It began coming more naturally to him. Ben raised his hand and lifted a smaller stone in the air. He wondered what his Uncle Luke would say. He hadn't seen Luke since he was four years old and could vaguely remember Luke being able to lift objects much larger than the stones with the Force. Ben glared at the stone that levitated in front of him. He swirled his index finger and made the rock spin. Surely his mother would know about what he could do, if she were to ever come to his secret spot. His father would never understand. Ben flicked his finger and launched the stone into the creek.

" _You have far more power than you could imagine."_ A haunting voice said to him.

Ben shut his eyes and shook his head. In the three years, he had heard this voice a few times. It was usually when he was experimenting with the Force. Ben had accepted this voice was inside his head. No others could hear it except for him. Ben didn't dare tell his parents. His father already thought he was strange enough and he couldn't imagine what his mother would say if he told her about the voices in his head.

But the voice was always right. Great potential, Power, Excellence. The voice would praise him more than his parents, and encouraged the use of the Force. At least someone, something cared about him and admired his feats. The voice called for him, but Ben did not dare call back. He instead used it as a means to focus and know that he was going down the correct path. Not the one of a senator like his mother, or the smuggler that his father was. Ben lifted up another stone with the force.

He felt a sudden gust of wind blow by. He looked up into the sky and saw a massive circular ship soar over his head and begin to land in a nearby shipyard. The Millennium Falcon. Ben's heart raced and the stone fell to the floor. He took off running towards the direction of the ship nearly tripping over several stones along the way. Running became easier when the grassy grounds became solid and he was in the living area of Theed.

The city was buzzing with life. Beings of all of races were leaving their homes to go to work or grab a bite to eat. Most would be on their way to reach the shipyard if not other places around Naboo. Ben weaved in and out of crowds. His reflexes were getting better. His short height also played to his advantage as he was able to push through the crowd easier. Ben leaped over crates, maneuvered around citizens and discovered the quickest path.

It took a nearly twenty minutes, but Ben had finally reached the shipyard. He bent over placing his hands on his knees to hold himself up and was panting from the sprint. He hadn't crashed into anyone the entire run and felt a little pride in himself. He could probably be a successful pilot one day with those skills. Ben breathed heavily and tried to relax. There were multiple ships that were landing and taking off. One of them had to be the Falcon.

Ben closed his eyes and sensed the energy around him. He knew his father would be here in the shipyard still doing inspections. Ben imagined his father's face, the messy hair, the family bond they shared. He searched. The movement of the creatures around him began to fade and the hum of the ships engines silenced. Ben eye's shot open. There. He felt his father's presence still aboard the Millennium Falcon and Chewie was with him. He was drawn to his father's energy and felt as if he was being pulled towards the location.

The ramp to the entrance of the Falcon was down allowing access. Ben leaped into the ship. His father had taken him on rides in the prized ship on occasion. Ben would be often pretend he was the copilot instead of his uncle Chewie. He knew his way around the ship and easily found the cockpit.

"I told you we had to replace the lights on these switches." Han was telling Chewbacca holding his hand on his forehead.

" _I'm pretty sure you had to do that_ " Chewbacca replied in Wookie and began turning several knobs.

Ben ran up to his father and hugged him from behind. Han Solo raised his arms up in shock and yelped.

"Ben! What are you doing here?" Han asked his son surprised. Ben let go.

"Mother isn't back from the senate yet and I saw your ship land," he said beaming at his father. He then turned to hug his furry uncle. Chewbacca lifted Ben into the air and embraced him letting out a gently roar.

Han gave Ben a puzzled look. "I just landed a while back. How did you find me?" Chewie set Ben down on the floor. Ben calmly replied "I felt your presence." For some crazy reason, Han got chills up his spine.

"You're not messing with that force stuff again are you?" Han asked.

Ben shook his head. Of course he wouldn't tell his father the truth. He would never understand anyway.

Han smiled and pat his son on the head. "Good."

He paused for a moment. "I don't get why your mother keeps your hair that short." Ben laughed at this.

Han pointed at Chewie. "We'll do this light switch thing later." Chewie replied with " _If you say so_ ".

The three of them walked off the ship together. The ramp to the Millennium Falcon closed and locked in place. Han waited at a booth and paid for a land speeder to take them home. The driver ended up taking a back route to avoid the mess of the city.

For the first time in weeks, Ben had felt happiness. It was nice to have at least one parent home. Ben felt the breeze cross his face from the topless land speeder. He breathed in the cool Naboo air. His father had taken him to other planets before, but none like this. He had seen civilizations that existed in the sky, busy places without grass, and even places where people existed in the desert with nothing but sand.

Ben had heard stories of his Uncle Luke growing up in the sand. Even his grandfather grew up in a harsh desert. He wondered what their lives would've been like had they had lived on Naboo with grassy fields, plenty of water, and nature surrounding him. He was very fortunate despite his parents being gone for long periods of time.

The speeder arrived at their home in five minutes. Han gave the driver money and asked him to wait where he was. Han gently pushed Ben inside the house. Han looked around. Everything was neatly in place and in order just the way Leia liked it. If there weren't dishes lying around, Han could've sworn Ben was never there.

"So how long have you been alone kiddo?" He asked his son. Ben raised up 7 fingers that represented days. Han's heart stung with guilt and he scrunched his face. Han walked over to one of the coat closets they had and opened the door. At the very top was a shelf with a dusty brown box on top. He hadn't touched it since his marriage. Han stood on his toes and pulled it down from the shelf.

"I actually just came for this." He blew the dust away. There was a faded label in a language that Ben could not read. "I met someone who said they'd pay good money if they could get their hands on the stuff inside this box." Han handed the medium sized box to Chewbacca and gave him a nod.

Ben looked up at his father. "Are you leaving again?" He asked quietly. Han looked at Chewie who glared back. Han knew what he had to do.

"S-son, would you like to come with us this time?" Han choked out. Ben's entire face lit up.

"Could I father?" Ben asked brightly. Han sighed and said yes. Ben jumped for joy. He had never been on a smuggling trip before.

"Go get ready." Han told his son. Ben raced to his room. "And don't tell your mother! I expect she won't be home for another week."

In ten minutes, Ben was ready to go. He still wore his black pants and boots, but he changed his shirt to a white collared button up and a long brown cloak with a hood. Ben shoved a couple of snacks in his pants pockets for the trip and threw his hood up. The cloak was a gift front his Uncle Luke from his last birthday. Ben treasured the cloak as it made him feel dangerous.

"Ben take that hood off your head." Han said disapprovingly.

" _Just let him, he's learning how to dress_ " Chewbacca snarled while holding the box. "You sound like my wife." Han said sarcastically.

He wrote a letter to Leia and left it on the doorstep explaining that he took their son out on a small trip. The letter was for in the event that she arrived home before they did.

The three of them hopped into the land speeder that was still waiting and the driver took them back to the shipyard. They boarded the Millennium Falcon. Chewbacca was Han's copilot so Ben had to sit in the Main Hold until they reached their destination.

Ben swung his feet on the crescent seat with his hands on his knees. He had no idea where they were going. He was just so excited that he would no longer be alone that he neglected to ask. Ben raised his arm. He hadn't completely grown into the brown cloak that his Uncle Luke had given him as his fingers were barely outside of the sleeves. Luke had said that the Jedi had once worn robes like these and it would allow them to move easier especially during battle.

Ben yawned. It was probably still morning outside, but something about space travel made him sleepy. Ben thought of the fabled Jedi. Luke had once told him a story about them. He must've been four years old. Ben could vaguely remember anything about the story, just that they embraced the force and were guardians of the galaxy many years go until one day they vanished or someone wiped them out. Ben couldn't remember. He just knew that they were gone. He laid down on the cushioned seat and shut his eyes falling asleep.

"Ben." His father said. "Wake up." Slowly, Ben opened his eyes and saw his father's face looking down at him.

"We're here."

A/N: Please review! Feedback is helpful. Chapter 3 coming soon.


	3. 3 Slave

A/N: This chapter gets a little bit violent. Please Read and Review!

 **Chapter 3: Slave**

The ramp to the Millennium Falcon lowered down. Dust whirled by and flecks of sand entered the ship. Ben lifted his brown hood over his head and pulled the ends of his cloak towards each other. Han adjusted his leather jacket. Chewbacca held the medium sized box in one arm and with his other, he reached out for Ben's hand. The young boy grabbed it and took a deep breath.

"This will only take a few minutes. Ben, don't talk to anyone and whatever you do, stay in sight." Han warned his son. Ben nodded his head and lowered the tip of his hood to eye level.

Han Solo stepped down the ramp of the Falcon first, then Chewie followed by Ben. Ben could see that the planet was sandy, course and a brownish yellow color. The ramp to the Falcon lifted. There was no going back now. As the three of them began walking, Ben felt as though he was going to sink into the ground from the amount of sand around him. He had to lift his feet higher than usual in order to walk. The blazing desert sun was beating down them. Ben tried to ignore the heat and kept his head low under the hood of the cloak still holding Chewie's hand. He could see figures of creatures large and small, surely not human at all. There were droids of all shapes and sizes as well walking freely among the beings.

They were approaching a market area. The shops were located under tented areas. The shopkeepers had a variety of goods laid out on tables and on top of mats. The shop keepers sold strange items from ship parts to animal limbs. The customers of these shops were strange as well speaking dialects that he had never heard while living on Naboo. Of course, there were some that could speak Basic and Ben understood. He also understood that in order to purchase a good, they either needed Galactic Credits, or to trade an item that the shop keeper would deem being of equal value.

Ben could feel eyes watching him, drilling holes into his back as he walked. He squeezed Chewie's hand. The three maneuvered through the crowd. Ben saw a grey creature with a long neck and thin arms get flung from the tent of a shop and skid across the ground. The shop keeper was small with tiny wings and a mouth full of sharp fangs. He hovered over the creature on the ground and cursed it.

"Don't you come back here again!" The shop keeper shouted.

The citizens continued with their business ignoring the creature on the ground as if this happened often. Chewie tugged Ben's hand as they continued walking.

Ben tried to focus on other things like the different species on the planet, or the rounded shapes of buildings they were approaching, but he couldn't shake the ugly feeling he was having. Someone was definitely following them. Ben turned his head around to peek over his shoulder, but the mass of people would not allow him to determine just who was looking at them.

"Father," Ben finally spoke up. "I believe someone is watching us."

Han looked at his son nervously. "Don't worry, we're just about at our destination."

A moment later, the three were at the doorstep to a dusty Cantina. Ben could hear upbeat swing music playing from behind the bronze door. A heavy creature opened it. He was orange with a pudgy body and four arms clearly meant to take down unwanted visitors. He looked down at Ben.

"No kids allowed" he said to Han. Han grit his teeth and frowned.

"Are you sure you can't make an exception? This will only take a minute." He said sweet talking the doorkeeper.

"No." The doorkeeper said and shut the door. Han stayed quiet in thought. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed heavily

"Ben", He paused crouching down to his son's height. "I'm going to need Chewie here to help me negotiate. You're a very brave kid especially since you're my son. Do you think you can handle waiting here for five minutes at most?"

Ben thought about it. He couldn't feel the eyes watching anymore and felt a small amount of comfort. He knew a little bit of how to use the Force from his meditations at the creek. He could probably take someone on if he had to, and his father did say just five minutes. What's the worst that could happen?

"Okay." Ben answered his father. Han smiled and pat Ben on the head.

"That's my boy. Now remember, don't talk to strangers and wait by the door." Han Solo said. He stood up and knocked on the door. The doorman let them in this time making sure that Ben didn't try to run in after them.

" _We'll be back_ " Chewbacca growled and followed Han into the Cantina.

-Inside-

Han walked around the cantina glancing down at every table. He was looking for a peach skinned creature with a horn on its head and black bulging eyes. He and Chewbacca had come across the buyer on their last adventure who then offered Han an extreme amount of money for an old box of Spice that Han had kept in his early days of smuggling. The box was something Leia had never paid any mind to so it had been in their closet for nearly ten years collecting dust and aging like fine wine.

" _There_ " Chewie pointed out.

In the corner of the cantina was the peach skinned customer wearing a black leather vest and white undershirt. They approached the creature. Han pulled out a chair and Chewie stood next to him still holding the package.

"Han Solo" The creature said. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."

"Gallon. I brought what you asked for." Han said. Chewbacca set the brown box on the table. Gallon opened a corner of the box and peeked in. He smiled widely revealing sharpened teeth.

"Good." Han smirked taking note of the customer's expression. "Now let's talk payment."

-Outside-

Ben leaned against the outer wall of the Cantina and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. His brown hood still covered the top half of his face. If Ben didn't feel watched before, he sure did now. It was as if there was a spotlight above his head. All creatures that walked by the Cantina glanced at him before continuing about their business.

Ben didn't want to see them. He was feeling brave and did not need their criticizing stares, yet he stayed alert. This wasn't his first time on a foreign planet. He was also used to being alone for long periods of time. Five minutes was nothing to him.

Ben thought about his mother. She was probably still at the senate and had no idea he was with his father. He wondered if his mother would have gone on one of these trips. His mother had told him that she was once the princess of a place called Alderaan that was later destroyed. Ben had only heard fairy tales of what his parents were like before they met each other. He didn't know the full story. Perhaps they had told him at a very early age.

Ben was no longer paying attention, lost in thought about his parents. He felt a sharp knock on his head come out of nowhere. When did he lose focus on the crowd? Darkness engulfed him and he collapsed.

Han and Chewie stepped out of the cantina proudly. They had gotten a full ten thousand credits out of the deal for a box of Spice that Han had been eventually planning to get rid of anyway. It took a little longer than expected, but no more than ten minutes was spent negotiating.

"Ben, let's go!" Han called out. He glanced around the area.

"Ben. We're done!" Han called out again. This time he hoped to see his son, however no little boy came running to him.

" _Ben!_ " Chewie yelled.

Han looked around the area and noticed a small brown cloak trampled on the floor near the wall of the Cantina. He reached down and picked up the cloak patting the dirt off. Han's heart began to race and panic set in.

"Leia's going to kill me." He said aloud.

Ben regained consciousness. His head ached and he felt a wave of dizziness. Ben placed his hand on the back of his head. He winced touching the area. A large bump had formed. Ben realized he was laying down on a cold concrete floor. He sat himself up and discovered his cloak was missing.

"Ah, I see you have awoken." A slimy voice said. Ben looked up. The voice came from a figure cloaked in black robes with a long black mask on. The figure was behind bars, or rather, Ben was behind the bars now that he was becoming aware of his surroundings. He was in a prison cell with a torch next to the locked door.

"You were the one following." Ben said.

A cackle was released from the figure. "Indeed."

Ben frowned. He picked himself off of the floor and approached the bars of the prison cell.

"Why?" Ben asked the figure holding his head high.

"They will pay good money for slaves. If you're lucky enough, the Order will buy you." The figure replied.

"Who's paying? What Order?" Ben asked grabbing the bars.

The figure cackled once more. "You ask too many questions." It said and walked away from the cell, it's laughter echoing down the hallway.

Ben pressed his face against the metal bars of his prison cell. Down a thin hallway, there were other cells as well. There were no windows, just torchlight. Across from his own cell, Ben could see a human boy younger than him clothed in rags that was huddled in a corner of the cell.

"You there!" Ben shouted. The boy across the cell did not look up. Ben tried again.

"Hey!" Ben shouted louder. The boy lifted his head. His eyes were red and water marks stained his cheeks.

"Are we to be sold as slaves?" Ben asked. The younger boy put his head back down.

"I'm talking to you!" Ben yelled. Clearly he was getting nowhere with the other prisoner.

Ben knew he had to escape. He looked around his cell for anything that might help him. The entire floor was cement and the walls were sandstone. There was no bed other than a rag meant to serve as a blanket. The prison bars were made of iron and stretched from the bottom of his cell to the ceiling. The door to the cell was made of iron bars as well and wore a heavy metal lock with chains wrapped around. Ben grabbed the cell door and tried to shake it open. The gate shook but did not budge. The lock was too strong to let loose.

Ben paced around the cell. What would his father say? Ben wouldn't be allowed to go on another smuggling trip for sure. He recalled his father telling him stories of tight situations like being tortured on the planet Bespin or frozen in Carbonite. His father was a brave man. He had to be as well.

Ben continued to pace his cell with his arms behind his back. The torchlight flickered in the hall and illuminated his shadow on the wall. He needed a key. The creature who kidnapped him likely had that key, but how would he get it?

Ben sat down on the bare cement floor and crossed his legs in a meditating position. He took long breaths and slowed down the fast thumping of his heart. The last thing he needed was to lose focus of escaping. Ben thought of his mother. His mother didn't even know that he had left with his father. If she found out, he and his father would be in serious trouble. 'Will I ever see her again?' he thought. No. He cannot have doubt. He was going to escape someway, somehow.

" _Ben._ " A soothing voice said. It came from inside his head, but was so clear it was as if someone was right next to him.

" _Ben honey, it's me."_ The voice said again.

"Mother?" Ben asked aloud.

" _What's wrong? Where are you?"_ She asked him. Ben had never spoken back to the usual voice in his head. He closed his eyes and focused. Ben imagined his mothers' soft face, her loving smile. Ben could feel his mother's energy through the Force.

" _I'm in a cell_ " He said back through the force.

" _You have to get out of there._ " His mother immediately responded. Ben smiled with his eyes shut having done a small accomplishment.

" _I know. But how?"_ He asked knowing that she may not have an answer. He could feel his mother pause for a moment.

Just then, the ghostly black figure similar to the kidnapper quietly passed Ben's cell eyeing each captive member. Ben could feel the dark energy seeping through the bars of his cell.

" _Use the Force_ " His mother said and faded away. Ben's eyes shot open. Despite Leia's voice having disappeared, he felt his mother's headstrong energy act within him. He knew exactly what to do.

Ben leaped up off of the ground. "You there!" he called to the figure in the hallway.

The figure turned slowly and looked at him from behind the mask.

"There is no talking." It said grasping a black baton. The figure began to approach Ben's cell.

Ben could feel his mothers' energy flowing through him almost as if she were with him at that moment. He adjusted his posture, raised his head high and glared directly into the eyeholes of the figure's mask keeping focus on where to point the Force.

"You will release me from this cell unharmed." He commanded the figure. His heart began pounding. He had never reached into another creature's mind before.

The creature behind the black mask took a step forward. Ben held his breath and kept his focus on directing energy towards the creature.

It hesitated and let go of the baton. It moved a hand towards a set of keys hanging from its belt and found a thin black key.

"I will release you from this cell unharmed." It repeated to Ben. Ben let out his breath. The creature turned the key into the bulky lock and the chains unraveled. The bared door swayed open. Ben calmly stepped out of the cell and felt his mother's presence slipping away from him.

He made eye contact with the grim spiteful eyes of the boy in the cell across from his. A twinge of guilt spiked his body. Ben could've left then and there. He could have bolted down the hallway in seconds and have been free. The Force was not as strong as when his mother was with him moments ago so another mind trick was out of the question. There was only one thing to do.

Ben clenched his fist and swung his arm, punching the head of the blackened creature. The creature released the keys and toppled to the floor. Ben caught the keys in midair and raced over to the younger boy's cell. Ben fidgeted with the keys and tested each one until the lock finally sprang open.

As soon as the chains on the bars fell, the younger boy sprang to life and took off running out of the prison cell and down the hallway. Ben could hear other children down the hall call out to the other boy for help.

Ben frowned and looked down at the creature below him. It wouldn't be long until the figure regained consciousness. He had to act quickly.

Ben raced to the next cell. There were nearly a dozen other children calling out for help. He unlocked each cell as fast as he could and the young girls and boys all ran towards the light at the end of the hallway. Once the final cell had been opened, he dropped the keys and escaped into the light.

Immediately, electricity surged through his body. Ben dropped to his knees and cried out in pain. A green pig faced monster with a rod jabbed him in the side.

"You were the one who freed all the prisoners". It said and poked him again with the electric staff.

"Aaaahhhhhh" Ben screamed in agony. Another creature cuffed his hands behind his back with iron shackles and lifted him up onto its burly shoulder.

"Have you seen my kid?" Han asked several shopkeepers. "He's about this tall and has black hair" Han fixated his hand to represent height. The shopkeepers all shook their heads. Chewbacca also asked around as best as he could to those that were able to understand him.

It had been two hours looking through the city since Ben disappeared. Both were on a frantic search without a clue of where to find him.

"This would be so much easier if Luke was here!" Han told Chewie feeling the frustration sink in.

"He's only 8 years old, where could he have wondered off to?" Han said aloud.

"You can just buy a new child."

Han turned around and saw an old bug-like creature speak to him. It began laughing hysterically through a long white beard.

" _Where?_ " Chewie asked. The old creature motioned a hand for the two to follow him.

The creature was surprisingly fast for its age and Han had to run in order to keep up. They maneuvered through the city and were led towards the outskirts of town. In the distance, they saw a gathering of creatures out in the burning sun. In the center of the crowd was as a stage.

The bug-like creature that led Han and Chewie to the location vanished into crowd. On the stage was a line of twelve children all handcuffed and linked together by chains. There were several creatures wearing black robes and blacks masks behind the children guarding them.

Han gasped when he saw his son at the very center of the stage.

"Ruffian Human Boy" A black cloaked figure said.

Ben stared at the stage floor and could hear the crowd cheering. His right eye was swollen as the thing he had used a mind trick on had taken revenge for the hit. Ben's arms were linked behind his back and he was on his knees. Sweat trickled down his forehead from the blazing sunlight above.

His plan to free all the children had failed as the guards were all gathered at the end of the prison tunnel and caught each child that had been freed. In the end, he couldn't save anyone. 'If only I had been stronger' he thought to himself. Ben felt weak. The feeling of electrics shocks still pulsed through his body. He had no idea what was going to happen to him.

"BEN!" Han bellowed at the top of his lungs. Ben looked up and saw his father pushing through the crowd in the distance.

"Let the auction start at one thousand credits." The creature on the stage said to the crowd. Someone raised their arm. The bidding began.

'No.' Ben thought. He couldn't be sold off now, not when his father was right there.

"Five Thousand Credits." One crowd member raised his arm. Ben fidgeted in his handcuffs. They were too secure to break off with brute force and he wasn't entirely sure if the Force could help free himself. Ben struggled anyway.

"Ten Thousand Credits, going once… twice" Ben's heart dropped. He could not remove the cuffs in time. All hope was lost.

"Fifteen Thousand!" Han yelled to the blackened creature finally reaching the stage.

"Sold to Fifteen Thousand!" It said and kicked Ben forward. Ben's face smeared across the stage. The creature stepped over him and unlocked the handcuffs. Ben wriggled separated his arms and pushed his head off the ground.

Chewbacca finally caught up to the two and paid the masked creature. Chewie lifted Ben off of the stage and wrapped him tightly in his arms. The three began to walk away.

"Father, what about the others?" Ben said weakly wrapping his arms around Chewbacca's neck. Han did not look Ben in the eyes.

There was silence before he finally answered, "You can't save everyone son."

Ben's eyes widened. He found the younger boy being lifted onto the stage next to be auctioned off. There was betrayal in the younger boys face and he looked at Ben with eyes pleading for aid. Ben felt utterly helpless. He tried to use the Force but the distance between the two was becoming greater and his reach became limited.

Ben tucked his head into Chewie's shoulder not wanting to look at the scene before him. He clenched Chewie's soft brown fur with his hands.

 _You can't save everybody._


End file.
